Afghanistan in shock after death of powerful police commander

KABUL / SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The assassination of a powerful police commander in Afghanistan and the United States of America on Taliban and U.S. officials.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said it was too soon to say if the death of Gen. Abdul Razeq, the police command in southern Kandahar, would hurt vote turnout, but added that the US military's mission was unaltered.

"We need to find who's doing this," Mattis told reporters traveling in the southeast Asian city-state of Singapore. "But right now, we are going towards the election and we will continue to defend the Afghan people."

Razeq, a survivor of many previous attacks, was killed in the governor 's office in the southern province on Thursday, when a bodyguard opened fire on a group of officials.

Gen. Scott Miller, commander of the U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, was also involved, but survived uninjured, although the regional governor was severely injured.

Thursday's attack underlined how precarious the situation remains in Afghanistan after Taliban and U.S. officials have opened up contacts for future peace talks.

It was unclear if the attack would affect the process, following a meeting of Taliban officials and the U.S. special envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, but complicates an already difficult situation.

"Are you going to start asking questions about, 'Well, how are trustworthy are they (the Taliban)? What influence do they really have? "Said one recently retired Defense Department official. "And you know the bottomline question is, 'Why are we still dealing with them?' Or 'Should we deal with them?'"

Mattis said he could not confirm the Taliban 's claim of responsibility but believed the attack would not affect Miller' s security arrangements or U.S. military movements in Afghanistan.

Razeq's death officers, who are in the grips of terrorists, who are in charge of the fight against terrorism.

Mattis was cautious about whether the attack had been triggered by the U.S.

"We remain absolutely committed to an Afghan-led Afghan reconciliation," he said.

RUTHLESS

Security was stepped up in Kandahar, with buildings around the governor 's office sealed off ahead of a team of investigators from Kabul, the capital.

Additional troops fanned out around the Kirka Sharif shrine, where Razeq's funeral is planned for 10 am (0530 GMT).

A disarmingly youthful-looking figure, with a toothy smile belying a fearsome reputation, the 39-year-old Razeq was by far the most powerful commander in the strategically vital provinces of southern Afghanistan.

Miller, who knew Razeq well from his previous tours of duty in Afghanistan, issued a statement saluting a "great friend".

"Afghanistan lost a patriot," he said on social network Twitter. "The good he did for Afghanistan and the Afghan people can not be undone."

The United Nations Committee Against Torture cited numerous and credible allegations that Razeq was complicit in severe human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and secret detention centers.

But he enjoyed popular support in Kandahar and the surrounding provinces and was adept at navigating the region's complex tribal politics. He was also highly respected by U.S. officers who saw his most effective methods against the Taliban.

"Razeq was, kind of, the embodiment of security, not just in Kandahar. It is Uruzgan, it's Zabul province, "said the recently retired Defense Department official.

"He had a lot of senior staff and certainly in the police."